Inhalation therapy is the medical art of treating a patient with oxygen, or a mixture of air and oxygen, having a high moisture content. This is generally accomplished by atomizing or nebulizing pure water or an aqueous physiological saline solution by use of pressurized oxygen. As the oxygen flows through an orifice or venturi it creates a negative pressure which draws a liquid such as water into a nebulizer. The oxygen stream breaks the water flow into fine particles to form an aerosol which passes along an outlet hose to the patient. In some cases the aerosol is mixed with ambient air and warmed before being sent to the patient.
A variety of mechanical nebulizers are known and are illustrated by U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,915,386 to Vora, 4,150,071 to Pecina, 3,771,721 to Van Amerongen, 3,864,544 to Van Amerongen, 3,652,015 to Beall, 4,178,334 to Miller, 4,195,044 to Miller and 4,231,973 to Young et al. Nebulizers currently in use also provide a heated aerosol to the patient's lungs. Most nebulizers usually require the use of special containers to serve as a liquid source. Other nebulizers are either too expensive to be disposable or are difficult to resterilize and clean after use. Existing nebulizers are also limited in the moisture output and minimum oxygen concentrations which they can provide.
Accordingly it is desirable to provide a nebulizer which has disposable and easily sterilizable parts, and is efficient in producing a high moisture output and desirable, relatively low oxygen concentrations.